1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to alarms for clocks having audible signal devices and in particular to controls for alarm signals which respond to motion of the clock.
2. Background Art
Most alarm clocks provide an irritating sound to awaken a sleeper, the more irritating the more effective. But this same effectiveness, while causing the person to be aroused from a sleeping state to waking, also serves to aggravate the person to the extent that very often the disturbed sleeper upon awakening will slam down the switch to shut off the alarm, possibly breaking the switch and leading to further aggravation. One alarm clock (U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,875), which purports to provide a cathartic effect by throwing the sound generating portion of the clock, runs the risk of damaging the clock, objects or even people in the room when such a missile is hurled by a bleary eyed awakened sleeper. Some very old alarms provide noisy objects such as bells falling on the sleeper, again running the risk of injury.
Most alarm clocks provide only a single sound for awakening a person. Although there are various reactivating means to repeat the sound after a delay period, the sound always remains the same.
Most alarm clocks do not require participation or secondary awakening effects to aid in the awakening process but require only that the awakened person mechanically switch off the alarm.